Choosing Evolution Over Revolution
The question many leaders face when considering BOAT is whether to pursue a radical transformation, ripping out legacy systems, or to adopt a more measured, evolutionary approach. While the idea of a clean slate is tempting, experience shows that revolutionary projects are high-risk, costly and often disruptive. BOAT, by design, offers another path: it acts as a unifying layer over existing systems, enabling organizations to integrate what they already have and scale gradually.
The Evolution of RPA and Agentic Automation
Within this evolutionary path, it is important to recognize how Robotic Process Automation itself is evolving. While Gartner continues to list RPA as a pillar within BOAT, the market is moving beyond traditional, rules-based bots that often struggle with variability or interface changes. Increasingly, automation takes a hybrid form: AI-assisted RPA enhanced by computer vision, GenAI-driven orchestration, and agentic models capable of making context-aware decisions across multiple tools. This shift, sometimes described as Agentic Process Automation, reflects a broader transition from brittle task execution toward adaptive, intelligent orchestration. For organizations, the implication is clear: RPA remains relevant, particularly in bridging legacy systems, but its future lies in being integrated with AI capabilities that extend its resilience and scope.
Principles for a Smooth Evolution
To appreciate why the evolutionary approach works better, it is useful to consider how integration strategies and governance practices can smooth the path.
Integrate Rather Than Isolate
The first principle is to integrate rather than isolate. Instead of replacing existing RPA bots, BPM engines or content systems, organizations can connect them through orchestration layers such as integration platforms, API gateways or event-driven architectures. This allows tools that were once siloed to exchange data seamlessly. A contract processed by RPA, for example, can flow directly into a BPM-managed approval process without the need for custom scripts or manual interventions.
Consolidate Incrementally
The second key step is to consolidate incrementally. Rather than tackling the entire organization at once, successful BOAT projects begin with high-value processes that span multiple systems, such as invoice approvals, loan applications or claims processing. By orchestrating these first, organizations can demonstrate quick wins, learn from real-world experience and gradually expand the orchestration footprint. This pilot-and-iterate approach reduces risk while keeping momentum high.
Technical Choices and Sequencing
Technical choices matter. By adopting a cloud-native, API-first architecture, organisations can scale and update components with minimal downtime. Sequencing matters too: critical legacy applications should be wrapped with APIs before their processes are automated, ensuring that orchestration layers can interact with them reliably. Event-driven patterns, such as message queues or publish/subscribe models, help new integrations trigger workflows efficiently and avoid bottlenecks.
Governance as the Framework
Governance completes the framework. A cross-functional Center of Excellence enforces consistent standards across BOAT implementations. This body defines which tools are approved, how APIs are used, what data models apply and which compliance rules must be enforced. By aligning IT, security and business stakeholders, governance provides the structure necessary to avoid duplication and ensure automations are both secure and sustainable.
Why Evolution Outperforms Revolution
These elements together show why evolution outperforms revolution. Instead of dismantling systems that still deliver value, organizations can orchestrate them into a larger whole. With integration strategies, incremental rollouts, technical foresight and governance in place, BOAT becomes a framework for steady, sustainable modernization rather than a disruptive gamble.
Continue with the next article
The evolution of automation is not just technical; it is strategic. Next, we examine how these principles apply in the Benelux region, where regulatory ambition and digital transformation meet.
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